First Impressions
by Gem6
Summary: Claire's first day and some problems


This is for Sammie x

* * *

"So you come from Finchley?"

"Yeah, pretty cool team there, I was only there a year though"

"How come?"

"I got itchy feet, they never really accepted me there as the only woman, the sexual jokes and comments got to me in the end!"

"I assure you, you won't get that here, I believe that all my officers are equal, male or female, black or white, you are all just police officers, you can be black or white on your own time"

"I totally agree with that guv'"

Jack Meadows laughed

"I can see you and me are going to get on just fine!

Claire smiled

"Lets go and meet the troops" Jack said getting up

Claire followed Jack down the corridor, listening as he pointed out where the toilets and other various things of importance were.

The two of them entered the office in silence, they should there waiting to be noticed, Kerry was the first to notice the two of them, she opened her mouth to speak but Meadows cut her off by mouthing 'Shhhh'

"Who's that?" Claire whispered indicating Kerry

"That's Kerry, I'll get her to look after you until you know your way around"

"Don have you seen that gorgeous bit of skirt next to Meadows?" John said rather loudly

Don was too busy staring to reply

"Is he always like that?" Claire asked disdainfully

"No strangely he's not, you'll need to watch out for his temper though, when he's in a rage he's likely to flatten you"

"Idiot!" Claire muttered scornfully

"Right listen up everyone, this is Claire Stanton, your new Sergeant. Claire this is: Geoff Daly at the computer, Rod Skase, Tom Procter, Duncan Lennox with the doughnut in his hand"

"Alright Sarge" Duncan drawled

"Mickey Webb at the coffee machine"

"Hows ya doin' Sarge?" Mickey chirped

"Kerry Holmes sat at her desk, Danny Glaze at the filing cabinet, Don Beech with his mouth open"

"Creep" Claire whispered to Meadows, a ghost of a smile crossed his face before he continued:

"That's John Boulton with the ginger hair and the big mouth and last but not least DI Chris Deakin"

"Stop checking me out, I don't take to kindly to people 'checking' me out, making sexual advances or comments, I'm a bitch don't get on the wrong side of me"

Deakin stopped 'checking' Claire out and pushed past her out of the office

"Claire, you really can't talk to your superiors like that…" Meadows began

"But Guv, you saw what was going on, as previously the only woman in here, I have to put up with it all day every day from the likes of Rod, Don and Deakin. Claire was only standing up for herself" Kerry argued

"Alright whatever, Kerry you're to look after Claire until she's knows her way around Sun Hill" Meadows replied raising a hand in defence.

Claire grabbed a chair and sat next to Kerry:

"Wow, thanks for that"

"Us girls have gotta stick together, especially in here"

"So, what's everyone here like then?"

We DC's try to stay out of the way of DS Boulton, he tends to pick on us thinking we're not good enough to do anything important"

"That's soon gonna change"

"DS Daly's alright, married two kids, likes to get on with everyone. Rod is the station ponce and the butt of most jokes, likes to spend hours playing with his hair. Tom is alright a good laugh, not much liked in here or in the station generally, not sure why. Duncan, Scottish, married, good laugh, very friendly and easy to get on with. Mickey, my best mate in here, into drinking bit on the thick side, but his hearts in the right place." She paused taking a deep breath, she carried on: " DS Beech, I've never trusted him, loves DS Boulton like a brother, calm and reasonably easy going, doesn't get on with DS Daly. DS Boulton, bully boy, has a very fiery temper, quite often me and him fight, most of the time I keep threatening to kill him, doesn't like DC's although he has a fondness for Duncan but you'd never catch him admitting it and me…" Kerry paused again before continuing

"Well I'm a little odd, I live alone with my cat Mabel, although you could say Mickey lives with me as he always seems to be there"

"Are you two…?"

"No, we're not, I'm never without Mabel. What about you Claire?"

Claire smiled as Mickey and Duncan joined them at Kerry's desk

"I was born Claire Elizabeth Jane Stanton, I did my GCSE's a yearearly and came out with 10 A's and 2 A's, I went on to college at 15, got two A-Levels in Law and Psychology. I went to university and came out with Honours in my two degrees, Law and Psychology again. I joined the force and made my way up through the ranks, while serving as a DC I took and passed the Hostage Negotiators course. Oh I also forgot, I'm a trained First Aider"

"Pretty impressive then" Mickey spoke for the first time since joining us

"Mickey, anything blonde impresses you" Don called

"Yeah especially if it wears a skirt!" John added

"I'm not that bad am I Kez?" Mickey said concerned

"Of course your not Micks" Kerry assured him

"Fancy coming over mine tonight Sarge?" Duncan asked

"Duncan fancies her" John laughed

"So what if he does, I'm flattered" Claire shot back coolly

Don burst out laughing at the look on John's face

"I'm just as sharp as you" Claire smiled "Is it always that easy to shut him up?" She asked questioningly

"No, you must have the magic touch" Kerry said amazed

"I'm going to the canteen" John said moodily as he got up and left the office

"Who upset him?" Deakin said as he appeared in the doorway

All eyes turned to Claire as she spoke:

"I did"

"Go and apologise then"

"But.."

"Just go Claire"

Claire left the office and found herself hopelessly lost, luckily though she bumped into June Ackland who showed her the way. She quickly located John sat at a table staring into his cup

"Hey, I'm sorry if I upset you earlier" Claire said sliding into the chair opposite John

"Who said you did?"

"It's a little obvious"

"How the hell would you know, you've only been here five minutes"

"Mmmm… let me see, you're in a bad mood, you've been slamming doors, need I go on?"

"Grrrr… what ever" John got up and stormed out

Claire sighed, he seemed to be afraid of the fact she could read his moods, she understood what he felt like right at that precise moment. Getting up she decided she ought to find him and see if he would talk to her.

* * *

Opening the door to the Rec Room, she found John throwing snooker balls at the wall: 

"John?" She said quietly

"What do you want now?" He growled

"I don't know what's happened in your life but I sure know it's really affected you, and I upset you this morning, I really am sorry"

"You didn't upset me you just…. I don't know… Maybe I was a bit upset, I didn't expect you to be able to put me down and shut me up in one single sentence" John shook his head

"I've heard a lot about you, you're arrogant, rude and aggressive, but you do have a chink in your armour, it's just a shame I had to find it on my very first day here, I can be a bitch but if you can get over the fact I'm sharp and as quick witted as you, you'll find I'm a pussy cat really" Claire stretched out a hand and laid it on John's arm

"I see myself in you, I could see it from the moment I saw you, you're sharp, quick witted and have a wicked sense of humour, you're not afraid to say what you think either, lets forget about this morning, start afresh from now, pussy cat"

"Call me that in front of anyone and I'll kill you" Claire said threatening John with her finger

"What you doing tonight?" John asked casually

"There's Rugby on John, surely you'll be watching that!" Claire responded

"Of course there, tomorrow then?"

"I don't know, you could always watch the rugby round mine, big soft armchairs that swallow you up, three crates of beer, takeaway, fab Chinese, Indian and Thai round the corner?"

* * *

Hey :-D Something new from me to keep you all happy. 

Quick notes, Injuries Aren't Always Serious is being taken down for a major reworked, quite frankly its shit!  
Separated From His World is still at a dead end so unless I get some major inspiration soon, you won't see any more of it, Sleepy Love, Coming Round and Starting Over have alldead ended on me as well. Monique Scorned is having a few problems, I have the middle bit and the end but I can't connect Chapter 2 to Chap 6 at the moment.

I have several new stories due to hit publication on here in the next few days so please look out for them!

Love to you all Gem xxx


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